Supporting decision-making for industrial symbioses using a hybrid modelling approach and its application to wastewater treatment.

Industrial Symbiosis (InSym) capitalises on the proximity of entities to gain a competitive advantage through collective strategies. Within the Circular Economy, this involves the circular exchange and reuse of water, energy, and resources among participating businesses, enhancing resource valorisation in manufacturing. However, as a distinct business model, InSym requires collaboration among multiple stakeholders working toward a shared goal, posing challenges in achieving mutually beneficial outcomes.

Towards the development of an online platform for an industry metabolic pathway.

This paper presents the design of a web-based decision co-creation platform to showcase water treatment technologies connected via industrial symbiosis for a circular economy approach. The platform is developed as part of the EU H2020-funded ULTIMATE project. This system initially investigates three case studies focusing respectively on: water and nutrient recovery in greenhouses, pre-treatment of wastewater from olive mills before integration into communal wastewater systems, and value-added compound recovery from wastewater in a juice factory.

Evaluating the impacts of climate change and land-use change on future droughts in northeast Thailand.

The impacts of climate change (CC) on droughts are well documented, but the effects of land-use change (LUC) are poorly understood. This study compares the projected individual and combined impacts of these stressors on future droughts (2021-2050), with respect to baseline (1981-2010) in one of the major tributaries of the Mekong River. LUC impacts on hydrological droughts are minimal compared to CC, with the latter expected to shorten the recurrence interval of a 20-year return period event to every 14 years.

Implementation of two-phase modeling of hydrogen sulfide in fresh market's combined sewers in Rat Burana, Bangkok.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is one of the sewer gases commonly found in wastewater collection systems. This anaerobic degradation product causes issues, ranging from odor nuisances and health hazards to pipe corrosion. Several studies have provided an understanding of HS formation mechanism, including simulations of HS emissions in sewers, especially in pressurized systems.

Analysis of environmental factors influencing endemic cholera risks in sub-Saharan Africa.

The recurring cholera outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa are of growing concern, especially considering the potential acceleration in the global trend of larger and more lethal cholera outbreaks due to the impacts of climate change. However, there is a scarcity of evidence-based research addressing the environmental and infrastructure factors that sustain cholera recurrence in Africa. This study adopts a statistical approach to investigate over two decades of endemic cholera outbreaks and their relationship with five environmental factors: water provision, sanitation provision, raising temperatures, increased rainfall and GDP.

A combined stability function to quantify flood risks to pedestrians and vehicle occupants.

With the increase of the frequency and severity of flooding events, coupled with population growth, the risks posed to people from flooding is ever more apparent. This paper proposes a methodology to examine the risks posed to vehicles' occupants and pedestrians simultaneously in an urban context. Through considering stability functions of a range of vehicle types and pedestrian, a risk assessment profile for a vehicle occupant was derived.

Using multi criteria decision analysis in a geographical information system framework to assess drought risk.

In this study we use the Mun river basin to demonstrate how a Multi Criteria Decision Analysis - Geographical Information Systems (MCDA-GIS) methodology can be used to assess drought risk. This paper not only provides a step forward in considering other elements such as land use change, climate within drought risk but also splits annual risk across three seasons (wet, cool and hot), previously not done. We also investigate how land use change, in the form of a/reforestation and changing crop varieties could potentially mitigate future risk.

Analysis of potential nature-based solutions for the Mun River Basin, Thailand.

Despite the growth in research and applications of nature-based solutions (NBS) within the literature, there are limited applications in South East Asia, moreover studies which quantitatively assess the impacts of NBS could have on hazard reduction are scarce. This paper addresses this gap by developing and validating MCDA-GIS analysis to map how potential nature strategies could mitigate flood hazard if applied within the Mun River Basin, Thailand. Through a literature review, the top three solutions for flood and drought hazards were found: wetlands, re/afforestation, and changing crop types.

Understanding the NEEDS for ACTING: An integrated framework for applying nature-based solutions in Brazil.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) support the provision of multiple benefits for the environment and society. First idealised in 2008, NBS are recommended by worldwide reports and guidelines as strategies to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems. However, their operationalisation is still in the early stages, especially in developing countries, and only a few studies consider their full potential.

Cellular automata predictive model for man-made environment growth in a Brazilian semi-arid watershed.

The current study implements a cellular automata-based model for the development of land use/land cover (LULC) future scenarios using a Remote Sensing (RS) Imagery series (1985 to 2018) as data input and focusing on human activities drivers in a 6700-km watershed vital for the water security of Paraiba state, Brazil. The methodology has three stages: the first stage is the pre-processing of images and preparing them as data input for the cellular automata land use model built in the R software environment (SIMLANDER); the stage of calibration establishes the variables and verifies the influence of each one on the LULC of the region; the last step corresponds to the validation procedures. After model calibration, land use maps for future scenarios (2019 to 2045) were simulated.

A practical method to assess risks from large wood debris accumulations at bridge piers.

Accumulations of large woody debris can worsen scour at a bridge pier and thereby lead to structural damage. Accumulations can also increase the flood risk in adjacent areas. These consequences can cause disruption to local communities and even pose a risk to human life.

Assessing the knock-on effects of flooding on road transportation.

Flooding can affect every aspect of our lives and road transportation is not an exception. However, the interaction between floods and transportation was not investigated closely in the past. As transportation is the lifeline of any economy, it is essential to analyse potential dangers and threads that can lead to network capacity restraints.

Experimental and numerical investigation of interactions between above and below ground drainage systems.

This paper presents the results of the experimental and numerical investigation of interactions between surface flood flow in urban areas and the flow in below ground drainage systems (sewer pipes and manholes). An experimental rig has been set up at the Water Engineering Laboratory at the University of Sheffield. It consists of a full scale gully structure with inlet grating, which connects the 8 m(2) surface area with the pipe underneath that can function as an outfall and is also further connected to a tank so that it can come under surcharging conditions and cause outflow from the gully.

Integration of research advances in modelling and monitoring in support of WFD river basin management planning in the context of climate change.

The integration of scientific knowledge about possible climate change impacts on water resources has a direct implication on the way water policies are being implemented and evolving. This is particularly true regarding various technical steps embedded into the EU Water Framework Directive river basin management planning, such as risk characterisation, monitoring, design and implementation of action programmes and evaluation of the "good status" objective achievements (in 2015). The need to incorporate climate change considerations into the implementation of EU water policy is currently discussed with a wide range of experts and stakeholders at EU level.